Updated

Governments across Asia, from Sri Lanka to South Korea, are rushing preparations for what forecasters describe as the most severe El Niño event on record, driven by exceptionally warm tropical Pacific ocean conditions. Hundreds of millions of people face the prospect of simultaneous crises including extreme heat, heavy rainfall, droughts, wildfires, typhoons and food shortages. Commentators warn the incoming 'super' El Niño could trigger one of the biggest global weather upheavals in a millennium, compounding climate-driven disasters worldwide in the remainder of 2026 and beyond, with calls for stronger leadership and preparedness.